February 9, 2005

PRESCOTT, Ontario, February 9, 2005 — The Honourable Mauril Bélanger, Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister responsible for Eastern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Comuzzi, Minister of State (FedNor), is pleased to announce a Government of Canada investment of $480,000 to the Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC).  The funding will assist the CFDC implement four components of the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF):  Skills Development; Access to Capital; Youth Retention and Attraction; and Business Development initiatives.

The EODF is a $10-million Government of Canada initiative announced last spring.  It promotes socio-economic development in rural Eastern Ontario, contributes to the successful development of business and job opportunities as well as sustainable, self-reliant communities, and will lead to a competitive and diversified regional economy.

“CFDCs are catalysts for economic growth in the communities they serve,” said Minister Bélanger.  “This initiative will assist this organization in its efforts to create economic and business development opportunities in the area to help foster prosperity in the region.”

There are 61 CFDCs in rural and Northern Ontario funded by Industry Canada’s Community Futures Program through FedNor.  CFDCs are designed to develop and implement long-term, community-based economic development initiatives.  They employ local staff and are governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of local residents representative of the community.

“We are delighted to build on existing strengths in the local economy and diversify into other sectors,” said Renata Kimmerly, Chair of the Grenville CFDC.

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

To find out more about Ontario CFDCs, visit:  http://cfdc-ontario.ic.gc.ca

For more information, please contact:

Graeme Wilkes 
Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Joe Comuzzi 
(613) 947-5850 

Robert Naud
Senior Communications Officer, Industry Canada/FedNor
(613) 954-3691 or 1 877 333-6673